Trapped Hunter
by gemsofformenos
Summary: Azula Week 2019 Day 5 (Crossover AU) The invasion of the Inner Sphere territory goes well so far and Azula and Zuko are on a mission with their mechs, lead by Commander Zhao to find and capture a small supply depot of the Inner Sphere, when they step into a trap, set up by a person, Azula hadn't expected. Expect some changes at some characters as well!


**To be honest from the start, I have played only a bit BattleTech and also a bit Mech Commander on PC, so I'm not deep within the huge and detailed lore of the BattleTech universe, nevertheless I fond the few informations I have so fitting for Azula and my interpretation. I'm really happy with this one, maybe I'll make something bigger out of it, one day. What should I say, big bad ass mechs and a bad ass princess piloting one of them, a heavy burden of a genetic heritage out of two stong warriors bloodlines, I simply couldn't resist. I hope I have done a good job, with scratching the surface of the Clan rules and the way I have fit in Azula and her family. To any BattleTech fan, please don't expect too many technical details about the mechs and the tricks and possibilites about energy management, weight management or heat control and amor, I sticked to the very basics here. It should play around the Clan invasion against the Inner Sphere.**

* * *

**Trapped Hunter**

**Azula Week 2019 Day 5 (Crossover AU)**

Azula checked the scanners of her Vapor Eagle, while she moved the machine skillfully through the jungle. It was a majestic sight to watch the three giant mechs walking along the trees and sometimes simply through the thick grown mangroves. The war machines had no problems to push and crack the trees, if necessary and Azula had to admit, that she was always thinking of persons walking through a high grown field of wheat, when she saw the mechs making their way through a forest. It seemed, that they had managed to trick the guarding probes, by using this winding way along the river through this jungle to reach the depot, the troops of the Inner Sphere had established here. The ors within the ground around the river was interfering their own sensor units, but also the less advanced ones of their enemy, so it added an extra cover for them, beside the hills around the river and the forest.

"It's almost too quiet, Azula."

Zuko's voice in the com made Azula rolling her eyes. Sometimes, she could barely believe, that they were breed out of the same genetic material. Where she was a natural, when it came to combat and strategies, her brother often showed an unbelievable and ridiculous clumsiness, like this time, when he forgot to use the combat names.

"We're in action, Blue Spirit, watch your tongue and take care, where you'll lead your mech. Your position is already at stake after your last failure. Moonkiller, out."

A smirk came to Azula's lips. She could almost see her brother flinch at Zhao's harsh words. She observed Zuko's Hunchback II covering the right flank of Zhao's Hellbringer. She noticed, that Zuko hadn't payed attention to stay within the ordered parameters, which put him at risk to be spotted by scanners on the surrounding hills. Her brother had obviously missed Zhao's hint, which elicited Azula an annoyed snort. She couldn't understand, why the Clan still believed, that he had potential. Of cause they were breed out of genetic material of two strong bloodlines of warriors, but it seemed, that only Azula had taken benefit of this mixture.

"Watch your position, Blue Spirit, you have left the given parameters. I swear, I'll roast your butt, when your clumsiness will cost us this mission, Dum-Dum!"

Zuko's stressed groan filled the com and her brother let his Hunchback move a little faster in order to get back to his correct position.

"No need to use this embarrassing nickname, Blue Dragon. You know I hate it, when you call me this way."

Zuko earned some mocking laughter for his angry quote.

"Alright, same for you, Blue Dragon. More focus on the mission, please."

Zhao's voice was smugly and Azula couldn't resist to add another blow against Zuko.

"You want to stop me using this nickname, Blue Spirit, then let us have a duel, when the mission is over. If you should win, than I'll stop calling you Dum-Dum, but if I should win, than this will be your new combat name. A fair deal, isn't it?"

The com stayed quite, which brought a satisfied smirk to Azula.

"What should it be, Blue Spirit? Do you dare to challenge me for an official duel?"

Instead of an answer, Zuko stopped his Hunchback. They had reached another wide loop of the river and the jungle was stepping back at this place a bit. Zhao also stopped his Hellbringer with an angry grunt.

"Blue Spirit, this is my last warning. If you should leave your position one more time, than I'll personally assure, that you'll be forced into a civil caste, when this mission is done. Now get…"

"I got a signal, no three signals and they're coming closer, fast!"

Azula felt the adrenalin rushing through her veins at Zuko's quote. She cursed herself for ignoring her scanners, only to tease her brother. The clear signals came closer from different sides. It seemed, that they were stepped into a trap.

"Missiles!"

Azula noticed, that Zuko had activated the jump packs. His Hunchback landed at the side of her Vapor Eagle, shielding her and her mech from a massive blow of missiles. The impact blew off one of the arms of his bad armored mech, but Zuko managed to keep the machine on its feet. He let his Hunchback sprinting into the woods.

"Blue Spirit, you coward bastard, hold your position!"

Zhao was brining his Hellbringer back to back with Azula's mech. His voice was filled with anger.

"Stop staring after this coward, Blue Dragon. The water will help to reduce heat in combat, so move your mech, soldier!"

Both were about to bring their mechs into deeper water, when her Vapor Eagle got hit by two massive rays of blistering energy. The warning lights in her cockpit went crazy and she heard the engines and structure protesting, as she forced her mech to keep balance.

"PPC's!"

Azula saw two mechs moving fast between the trees of the jungle.

"Moonkiller, I have visual contact! Two Centurions, can you confirm?"

Zhao's Hellbringer was already aiming the enemy and he released a massive strike of his full armament against one of the Centurions as an answer. Azula admired him for his skill and experience, because he had anticipated the direction, their enemy had chosen, so he could manage such a massive attack and being sure, that he wouldn't waste ammo. The river helped him, to keep the heat under control as well. The enemy meck was swallowed by massive explosions and Azula noticed a blinding light and a massive blow, as the reactor of the mech exploded.

"Correction, Blue Dragon, only one Centurion."

She was about to smirk at this quote, as another large wave of missiles hit Zhao's mech. The giant machine shambled against her own, as three hits of a PPC at the leg of the Hellbringer made Zhao loosing balance of his war machine. The ground was shaken by the impact of the 65 tons and the water splashed up high in the sky, taking any visuals for a moment.

"Moonkiller!"

Azula had no time to ask for his status, because she had to defend herself against the remaining Centurion. She successfully sidestepped an laser attack, but noticed, that her enemy was hitting the legs of her machine as well with the Autocannon. She gritted teeth and made her mech move, but she hesitated to leave Zhao, until she heard his voice in the com.

"Get this bastard, Blue Dragon, I'll try my best with our other guest."

Zhao had brought his mech back on its feet, but he barely managed to avoid another strike of long range missiles. Azula let her Vapor Eagle pick up speed and fired back at the Centurion, alternating her fire between the arms and legs of the enemy mech to cripple the machine. She noticed Zhao leading his war machine down the river, followed by another salve of missiles, which seemed to come down from a hill in the distance. She turned her focus back to the enemy in front of her and started to use her higher speed to flank the enemy, but she had to admit, that the other pilot was skilled as well. The Centurion managed to cut off her planned ways with controlled fire. She managed to hit the enemy, but she couldn't reach his weaker back and the heavy hits from the PPC's had caused some serious damage at the torso and the legs of her own mech. The armor of her Vapor Eagle wouldn't protect the vital structures below much longer. She had to risk something to end this fight, so she stopped her war machine in the middle of the river to get a good aim, knowing, that this would made her a perfect target, too.

Azula focused on the Centurion and recognized, that the enemy seemed to have found a good aim, but she had so as well. She took a deep breath in and fired her lasers. She saw the enemy firing only a heartbeat later, as she activated her jump packs. The enemy fire missed her barely and she saw the giant machine on its knees, as she landed behind it, which proved her, that her own aiming had payed off. She ignored the sound of crunching metal and released an Alpha Strike at the back of the kneeling machine with an devastating success. The Centurion disappeared within fire and smoke for a moment. A victorious smile was appearing on her face, as the fireball spitted out a capsule with the pilot. The smoking wreck of the Centurion fell over to its right side and remained in the river. An well earned reward for her skillful fight. She was sure, that the clan could pick up the wreck for their own use, later.

"Blue Dragon..."

Zhao's voice ripped her out of her triumph. It was weak and fearful and so unlike for this strong mech warrior.

"Run!"

The communication broke off and Azula noticed an explosion behind the hills upwards the river. Her eyes widened in shock and fear, as a new mech came in sight.

"Fuck!"

The Awesome was already targeting her with its PPC's, so Azula turned her mech around. The engines were howling as she transfered all possible energy to the engines, to speed up her mech as fast as possible, but an awful hit activated the alarms within her cockpit. The screens went black for a moment, and she felt the Vapor Eagle falling to its left side. Azula had no clue how, but she managed to bring up the hands of the mech to ease the fall. The damage sings popped up from all sides, as she managed to roll the mech over its shoulder, but she didn't care. She had to get out of here or she would be blast into pieces.

She tried to bring her war machine back on its feet, but her tries were futile. The color faded from her face, as her screens turned on, again. The Awesome had simply shot off one of the legs of the Vapor Eagle. She got panic and tried to activate the emergency capsule, but the system was down. She could only watch the giant mech coming closer and targeting her. A tear rolled down on her cheek and she hoped, that, beside her anger at her brother, at least he had managed to escape this trap. She closed her eyes.

"Blue Dragon, whatever you have left shoot it at this bastard, now!"

Zuko's voice let her eyes shot wide.

"Zuko..."

She saw, that the Awesome got hit in the back by the Ultra AC's of Zuko's Hunchback II, followed by some hard hits of the lasers. Azula didn't hesitate and transferred the rest of the energy back to the weapon systems. The enemy seemed to plan to finish her first, but Zuko's Hunchback broke out of the forest behind the Awesome and delivered more heavy hits, which let the assault mech stumble, so the pilot finally started to turn the mech to this new threat. Zuko managed to sidestep the attack of the PPC's with his speed and agility and kept up the fire against the superior machine. Azula took the chance and fired with all what was left at the back of the mech, hoping to pierce its heavy armor to break the reactor, but it seemed to be hopeless. Half of her own weapon were crushed and it seemed, that her own reactor unit was already damaged. An unhealthy and biting yellow smoke started to fill the cockpit. The toxic fog started to burn in her lungs and in her eyes and she knew, that her last chance would be to leave the mech and hope, that she could bring enough distance between herself and the battle ground to survive this.

She saw Zuko's desperate tries to flank the enemy again.

She saw her own strikes hitting the Awesome without any notable effect.

She recognized the enemy guessing Zuko's next move, correctly.

She heard Zuko's shocked voice in her com.

He had recognized it, too.

"Azula… get out!"

Three direct hits ripped the Hunchback into pieces. Azula screamed in shock and grief. Zuko's capsule was blasted into the forest with some parts of the torso. She screamed hateful curses at her enemy, while she kept on firing at the mech in front of her, ignoring the heat warnings, until the system shut down. The smoke in her cockpit became thicker, when she heard a new voice in her com.

"Pathetic, but at least both of you have shown some spirit in the end, so I'll give both of you a second chance to prove your honor. We'll meet again,… Azula."

Azula saw the Awesome turning around, leaving the battleground, but the voice was the last thing, she could think of, before her sight went black.

* * *

Azula was sitting at Zuko's bed in the medical station. The left side of his face was bandaged and he was still in a drug sleep for recovery. She was holding the hand of her sleeping brother.

"He had successfully charged and overwhelmed the Catapult, which had launched the long range missile attacks on you and Zhao, an impressive achievement."

Azula looked up and her eyes fell on Iroh and Ursa. She only nodded at Iroh's quote and tried to get a hint, which thoughts Ursa were rolling in her mind. Her look was emotionless, as ever.

"I told you our faith in him would pay off one day."

Iroh gave Ursa a warm smile and placed a hand on Azula's shoulder. Finally, Ursa nodded at Iroh.

"It seems so. Sad enough, that you have to outline things, which should be natural."

She turned to Azula and gave her a little smile.

"At least you'll never be a disappointment."

Azula noticed the cold shiver, which were running down her spine. She kept a straight face, but this was something new. Normally she would have smiled about such a quote from her. Ursa was one part of her genetic heritage, her mother. The Clan was still having high hopes from the combination of the genetic material from Golden Eye and Phoenix, two of the greatest pilots of this Clan. Ursa and Ozai, both also out of some long and honored lines of pilots.

"But I still can't understand, why the pilot of the Awesome hasn't finished both."

Azula's stomach cramped, as she watched at her brother. She had an idea and this knowledge was frighting her, but she had no clue how Ursa would react at this news. Her worries must have been written in her face, because she felt the soul-piercing look of Ursa resting on her.

"You seem to have an idea, Blue Dragon?"

Azula suppressed the urge to jerk at the use of her combat name. She managed to keep a straight face and decided to share only part of her knowledge with Ursa and Iroh.

"The pilot had vocalized an interest in our further career, before he left us alone. He said, he would hope to meet us again, one day."

Ursa raised an eyebrow, while Iroh started to stroke his beard. Her mother closed her eyes and Azula was holding her breath, but finally a little smirk came to the lips of the Golden Eye. She padded Azula's shoulder twice, before she left the station without another word.

Iroh stared to scratch at the skin, which was near his right bionic eye.

"Do you have an idea, why the pilot could be interested in you two?"

"No."

It was a shameless lie, but Azula was used to keep up a poker face, even before her uncle. Iroh kept looking in her eyes for some moments, before he placed a hand on her shoulder with a smile.

"Fine, with a bit of luck, we might find it out, sooner or later."

He stood up and left the medical station, too. Azula turned back to her brother. He had saved her life down on this planet and had nearly payed with his life for this. Zhao had survived, too, but it was still unsure, if the Moonkiller would ever become the same again. She resisted the instinct to brush over the fresh dressings on Zuko's face. She had to talk with him about this mission, as soon as he would be back on his feet.

She need to talk with him about their father.

She must tell Zuko, that Ozai was still alive.

She would need his opinion, in this case, his opinion, why Ozai was betraying their Clan.

And why he had spared their lives.


End file.
